Safety Upgrades For Nicholson Street Tram Stops

Three tram stops on Nicholson Street will be upgraded over the next week, making it safer and easier for passengers to get on and off trams on one of Melbourne’s busiest routes.

The improved stops on Route 96 between Brunswick Road and Blyth Street will include larger waiting areas, better lighting and improved shelter, and will be more visible for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

The stops will also provide real-time visual and audio service information to help passengers know when the next tram is coming.

The road next to the stops will also be raised, giving passengers direct and level access between low-floor E-Class trams and the footpath.

Around the clock works will take place from 11-17 May to deliver the improvements, with temporary Nicholson Street road closures (between Brunswick Road and Blyth Street) and some parking and pedestrian restrictions.

Buses will replace trams on Route 96 between Pigdon Street in Carlton North and Blyth Street in Brunswick East for the duration of the works.

Stop 24 at Glenlyon Road will be upgraded. Stop 23 at Miller Street and Stop 25 at Albert Street will also be relocated to improve spacing between stops.

Delivery of accessibility upgrades to Stop 25 will be staged to allow further design and consultation to occur for the eastern side of the stop. This is to ensure traffic movements in the area are accommodated.

The tram stop upgrades will help prepare the network for expected population growth around Nicholson Street, with new apartment buildings expected to be built in the area within the coming years.

Route 96, which runs between St Kilda Beach and Brunswick East, is one of Melbourne’s busiest tram routes with more than 345,000 passengers using the line during a typical week.

These upgrades are part of the Andrews Labor Government’s ongoing work to modernise and improve Melbourne’s tram network and complement the ongoing roll out of 90 E-Class trams – the biggest and most accessible on the network.

For more information on these upgrades and bus replacements go to ptv.vic.gov.au.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Melissa Horne

“We’re improving one of the busiest tram routes on the network by adding more accessible stops and low floor trams – making it easier for people with mobility needs, parents with prams and the elderly to get around.”

“We thank passengers for their patience during these works, which will deliver better access to tram services on Route 96.”